Since You Asked…

Various people have asked me some basic questions about myself since I have been writing. I decided to respond in a post that I will update as new questions are asked. You can also use the About Me link to the left for other information.

1. I have a B.S. in Ancient Studies because I wanted to go to seminary (never made it–too conservative for the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland). I started out college wanting to be a high school teacher but I came to my senses after being a substitute.
2. I was born in East Stroudsburg, PA. My parents lived in the Delaware Watergap area of New Jersey on a dairy farm and drove and hour and half down to PA for me to be born.
3. I used to be many things: short order cook, stock boy, electronics technician, office worker, photographer, store manager, home improvement contractor, statistical analyst, home builder, technical writer, indexer, online information specialist, trainer, entrepreneur, and now hopefully an author. (Boy, I am out of breath just listing it all.)
4. I joined the Air Force in 1966 and served four years, including a stint at Syracuse (Russian language training) and a year in Thailand (beautiful country).
5. I am a contract indexer and technical writer/information architect who has spoken at about fifteen conferences, including being the keynote at a conference in Norway. That was really cool.
6. My favorite short story is “Rain” by Somerset Maughan. It shows the power of temptation and the tragedy of giving in to it.
7. I’m married to Anna Marie, my sweet damsel for whom I am her Galahad and who somehow manages to put up with my “difficulties” and is as loyal as anyone alive.
8. I/we have one daughter, Sarah. She is a beautiful 27 year old Christian lady who has had a very rough road in life and almost died several times. She has the scars of the warrior she is. She also takes after me so I pray really hard for her.
9. I lost a younger brother in Vietnam (I am the oldest of four). It took the magic of the Internet to allow me to meet (through email) the man who held my brother as he died. It was an important and healing moment for me when I read his moving reply to my questions.
10. I have been co-owner and owner of various businesses but never made any of them a financial success. I would argue that I am not a natural at making money but I have wonderful ideas and some of them have helped people.
11. I have been divorced (over 30 years ago). It was a failure on many levels and part of who I was before I became who I am. I have been absolutely faithful to my Anna Marie for 28 years and don’t ever expect that to change.
12. I started blogging after I decided to put some of my writing on a website and then a friend asked me to write more regularly. Then I discovered blogging software and well, here you are.
13. As I said I was born in Pennsylvania, from a dairy farm in New Jersey. I didn’t stop moving after that for a long time, living in Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Texas, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Thailand, and now live in Maryland, at least for the moment.
14. I’m a Reformed liturgically-minded protestant evangelical but I continue to have a soft spot for Catholics (was born and raised one).
15. My favorite politician, and I generally am not a fan of politicians, is Ronald Reagan.
16. My favorite novel is “The Egyptian” by Mika Waltari with “Perelandra” by C. S. Lewis a close second. I remember them the most and still reread the great argument set in the second Garden of Eden in Perelandra, where the fall does not occur.
17. My favorite series is “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C. S. Lewis. I read them continuously over four days, with little sleep and no work, in 1976. I was a new Christian and, well you know.
18. My favorite theological/Christian work is “Knowing God” by J. I. Packer.
19. When I was a kid I wanted to be a Major League Baseball player. As a teenager I wanted to write the great American novel. Now I just want to finish “Beginnings” and have one novel published. I already have had several technical books published.
20. My favorite sports teams are: Baseball – Orioles, Football – Ravens, Basketball – Wizards, and College – Maryland.
21. My favorite hobby is watching movies. I love cinema in all its forms. My wife and daughter are old movie aficionados.
22. My favorite pastime is sleeping.
23. I’m planning on pursuing a successful career as a novelist.
24. I spend way too much time blogging and reading blogs, on average, probably about 25 hours a week.

Update: 4/2/2006
25. I am now working full time for a company (Denali Solutions) that produces Public Safety Software (runs things like police departments). e.g. Baltimore City and Baltimore County use our software for their police departments. I am organizing their documentation and training, while writing the materials for an eight course training series for a large client. We will be teaching each of those eight courses to 6-10 classes. Normally it would take anywhere from three to six weeks to build a single course. We have to build eight courses in twelve to fourteen weeks.
26. I am now attending a CEC (Charismatic Episcopal Church) pastored by a friend. I just have a weakness for liturgy…
27. My novel, Beginnings, is still inching along. I have written two more chapters so far this year, despite the workload. Sometimes you just have to do something else to keep from burning out.

Update: 11/11/2006
28. I am now an employee of the same company my wife works for, using my security clearance. I am producing documentation and help systems and learning something new.
29. I have started doing photography again in a serious way. See my new web site http://photography.sageline.com
30. Beginnings is now over 60,000 words and inching upward. One day…

Want to know anything more about me? Send me your questions (click here).

1 thought on “Since You Asked…

  1. I love this! Maybe cause I sorta know ya and like knowing more about you. My eldest is still without a clue about what to do with his life, approaching third year in college. So, i shared your broad experiences with him! Just cause. I hope the best for your novel writing….perhaps a little less blog reading? I know how much time this hobby uses up…my house is showing the consequences. Notice i say reading, not writing…would miss you. Well, I suppose the connection this gives us could possibly give your novel more depth…hey?

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